Guest Star
by loveinchaos
Summary: I really miss box r. They were so scandalous and terrifying in a sorta bitchy way. So returning to that world, lets watch the season finale and the making of. With Guest Stars, Backstabbing, Improvisation, just a smidge of Tsuruga, and a dash of Sho
1. B

Where was she? She was bound to show up early- Ah! There! Her iconicly short and vividly orange hair could be seen just behind a passing cart of props.

She was in rather plain street clothes and retro flats instead of the manic loveMe Pink. But the performer in her shown out, through her expressive eyes that seemed to be studying everything around her. The Stage Manager was a little bit starstruck to look at her. She was subtly different from all around her with impeccable posture. The blue-ish purple gem stone glittered in it's place against her chest, the silver chain from which it hung caught the light and sent reflections down into her- no. no! Focus!

Clearing his throat nervously the stage manager called out, " Miss Mogami?"

Those eyes locked on to him, narrowed, and Natsu stepped forward. Smiling with an amused detachment, she purred, "Yes?"

Taking a step back the stage manager blurted his message in such a nervous rush that the sentances seemed to trip over each other, "There's be- change in sched- Box R is shooting at studio B, not M- uh, thats where you have to go after costume and makeup... please?"

"Oh! Thank you very much for informing me!" chirped Kyoko, bowing politely before running off toward her dressing room.

The stage manager exhaled slowly. He looked around himself dazedly and muttered, "That girl, in character, is going to be the death of me."

"I would expect nothing less."

Whirling around to see who spoke, the stage manager gasped and stared. Once again his message tumbled out as eloquently as a landslide, "Sir! You're here! i was supposed to come get You! Wai- you can't be seen! i mean- not yet! Mister Ha- you should have waited at- Follow me at once! ...please?"

When the man nodded with an amused twitch at the corner of his mouth, the two immediately set off, trying to stay out of sight.

...

While hurriedly changing into a modified high school uniform, Kyoko scolded herself for letting Natsu loose on that poor stage manager. But Natsu had been so exited. or was it kyoko who was exited? today they were finally going to start preparations for the 2 episode series finale special of Box R.

This was actually the finale for the 2nd season and the network had long ago approved a 3rd and 4th. The writers were animated (or at least as animated as they ever were) and all were a twitter about the new content that they'd finally have the time to bring to life. Since then, the director had been bragging and teasing of very special guess stars that were coming in for the grand plot twist that was to send the story careening forward.

"So Much Drama" Natsu chuckled, contemptuously. Slipping on her heels, she hurried to studio B. It was busier tha usual due to the studio change, but most of the sets were up when she saw her director and walked towards him.

"Good Morning, Director Suzuki," she greeted with a deep bow.

"Ah, Kyoko-chan, excellent timing. Excellent." He looked to her, eyes alight with mischief. "We are almost ready to start the day. I want to wrap up the 'Exam cheating' Arc and make a solid dent in the set up of the 'Family Name' arc done today before dinner. I hope you are ready to work hard."

Kyoko's eyes grew into saucers as her mind spun back to the script reading, "set- up? you mean actually start Filming the new arc? What about a read through?"

"Pfft, you've all read the script."

"So you mean.. those guess stars you were talking about... thier actually HERE?"

"You make it sound so unlikely!"

He watched her light up and giggle with anticipation. He smiled at her indulgently before snapping, "Why are you so Kyoko right now?"

"Why are you so ugly right now?" Natsu snarled back.

"Excellent," Director Suzuki exclaimed before turning back toward the set to shout directions.

Natsu turned to see her faithful sidekick, Kaori, had sidled up to her silently, "I love my job. It's the only one in the world where I can insult my boss and he'll compliment me for it."

"Hmm, so true."

The two characters then carried on to talk of grotesque experiments and torture treatments that they wanted to try on their 'favorite' classmates. the stage manager knew better than to disturb them directly when they got like this so when time came for them to take their places, he tapped the shoulder of Chiori (Yumika) who wasn't yet in character and motioned toward them.

Chiori let out a sharp whistle.


	2. I

Natsu showed no sign that she had heard besides turning her head toward Chiori but gazed past her, assuming indifference. Accustomed to such minimalization from her overlord, Chiori shrugged and walked in the general direction of the set.

"Did you hear the school bell?" Natsu asked as she linked arms with Kaori.

"No. I heard a knag." And they walked to the classroom.

It became painfully apparent to the rest of the cast that Natsu and Kaori were very much present, when they entered the room and flowers in a near by vase wilted. The Exam cheating arc had been hard on all of them. A temp nerd character a larger future importance had been bullied into cheating with Natsu, the protagonist had saved the day. Which led to a terrifying revenge plot from Natsu. The Lovable Protagonist had almost been killed by falling potted plants. The nerd had pissed his pants (unscriptedly) when Chiori came at them with a fake hammer. With the final word barely being had by the protagonist. the problem was that even though she was simply saying the words in the script... Natsu was really hard to win an argument with. Even if what she said was submissive, she ended up walking away like the winner. the director was tempted to shoot the whole thing over when he was briefly called away.

Another one of the mystery guest stars apparently arrived and now had a complaint about the costumes. A few cast members tried to follow him. And in his rush to evade his tail... no one said, "cut."

The camera men were trained on the actors. The actors completely absorbed in their own world. the lovable protagonist yelled after Natsu her epic final line. Which, like the script intended, had Natsu speechless. But as she gaped she couldn't help but smirk. There was a tense silence, until Natsu turned her back on the lovable and the nerd. On cue, her pack got ready to leave. Chiori didn't have anymore lines in the scene so she expressively cracked her neck and turned to leave the classroom. This had the nerd burst into some very real tears.

The "square" side kick noticed that the director was gone as she exited, But she kept straight faced. She was now debating following the director also when-

Ad-libbing, the lovable protagonist embraced the nerd and said, "It's okay... They'll probably be back... but at least now we have each other."

The nerd blubbered, "Tha- Y- I-"

"Shhh. It's okay... you're not alone any more"

Natsu froze. she was only a step from the door but she couldn't make it. Her breathing hitched and a flash of weakness crossed her face. Catching the look, Kaori subtly grabbed Natsu's hand and pulled her out of the room behind her.

The director had returned but instead of saying cut, he led the crew in soft applause. Kyoko blinked heavily as if roused from a dream. The other actors blushed and giggled. But Kyoko wanted to dogeza. Before she could, a large hand fell on her shoulder and a man's voice said, "I am so proud. That was good. That was really good."

Turning slowly, she gazed up at him, mouth gaping. Slowly the cast and crew recognized him and shouts or exitement filled the room.

"Eeeeeh?"s and "OMG!"s and whispers of his name and stuttered questions filled the room with so much noise that no one heard it when Kyoko wrapped her arms around the man's middle and squeeked out a frail but boyish, "...Thanks, dad."


	3. T

"Mogami? Mogami Kyoko! How do you know Hizuri Kuu?!"

"Sssshh!" but it was too late, now everyone was asking her. Cowed by the sea of expectant faces, Kyoko choked. Suddenly all the intricate complications of welcoming an egotistical legend, breakfast feasts, playing Koun, and insulting Ren was too long to explain. And a bit too personal. But once again a big hand fell on her shoulder, saving her from emarrassment.

"Kyoko and I have known each other since the last time I was in Japan." She smiled at him gratefully and added, "He's also good friends with my boss, so I had the pleasure of seeing him for work."

Giving her an affectionate squeeze, "Quite often, at that."

"Oh that's right, you work with LME..." said one. And eveyone else nodded as if that explained everything. As the crowd dispersed, Kyoko turned and back toward Kuu and even leaned on him casually as they talked, trying to catch up with eachother as fast as possible. One Extra looked back at them and whispered to another, "They look rather... intimate don't you think?"

"Yeah. Very close. Perhaps theres more to it."

A stagehand whispered, "She doesn't seem the type to be a home wrecker though."

Another passerby hissed, "Oh yeah! I forgot he was married!"

"That would be so bad." "Yeah..."

"You really think so?" "Just look at them." "No way... really?" "You didn't hear it from me."

And so a rumor is born.


End file.
